auto-blip

[S550Smoke]

Anybody have any experience using the programmable auto-blip for throttle match downshifting? I am debating on this or going with the steeda and garageline pedal setup.

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[LHousePhoto]

A GT350 owner recently posted a video of his car with one installed.

http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57985

I've been debating on doing it myself. I don't mind doing it manually, but it would be nice to not have to think about it.

 

[S550Smoke]

Appreciate the link, i didnt find much on it. I think im just gonna go for it.

 

[Norm Peterson]

I know that auto-blip has been discussed on at least two other forums.

Bottom line seems to be that it should not be a substitute for learning how to get your rev matching right all by yourself. But that it can be useful if for any reason you can't reliably do the heel-toe thing. Also, having more than one MT car could be a consideration.


Norm

 

[M3Convert]

I just bought one. Hopefully I'll install at weekend. Unfortunately, I can heel-toe comfortably on the street, but I am having trouble keeping a steady brake pedal while blipping. I experienced this at Turn #1 at Palmer last week, which is a pretty complex turn - curved uphill off a curved straight, blind apex, sweeping downhill corner that unloads the front. It is pretty intense for sure!

I am only doing 3-4 track days at the moment, so don't get the chance to practice under real pressure, so I am selling out! I will throw away my "purist" boxers and t-shirt!

 

[S550Smoke]

I know that auto-blip has been discussed on at least two other forums.

Bottom line seems to be that it should not be a substitute for learning how to get your rev matching right all by yourself. But that it can be useful if for any reason you can't reliably do the heel-toe thing. Also, having more than one MT car could be a consideration.


Norm

Guess I need practice at my forum searches. If im not mistaken aren't most of the newer sport vehicles coming with automatic throttling like this device? Also if im not mistaken, you can deactivate this device in a matter of a second to still be in full control of learning to do it manually if need be. However, my logic is why not have the assistance to have one less thing to worry about while learning to become a better driver..isn't everything in stages anyway?

 

[S550Smoke]

I just bought one. Hopefully I'll install at weekend. Unfortunately, I can heel-toe comfortably on the street, but I am having trouble keeping a steady brake pedal while blipping. I experienced this at Turn #1 at Palmer last week, which is a pretty complex turn - curved uphill off a curved straight, blind apex, sweeping downhill corner that unloads the front. It is pretty intense for sure!

I am only doing 3-4 track days at the moment, so don't get the chance to practice under real pressure, so I am selling out! I will throw away my "purist" boxers and t-shirt!

Yea ive only had one track day so far and it was at road atl so im a full blown dumb newby lol, but it seems like a good assistance option. Ive spent the little time ive had behind the wheel of my car (as I spend lots of time away for work) trying to learn the heel toe but it is difficult. It all takes time lol.

 

[gtorpedo]

I've had the auto-blip installed since last summer and it works amazing at the track. While I can heel-toe, I too am a novice so it has been a very helpful tool to have. I'm able to brake harder with more confidence and consistency and not unsettle the car with a botched downshift than I otherwise would be able. There are a few threads on the trackmustangsonline forum about this (just search for it) - would highly recommend.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Guess I need practice at my forum searches. If im not mistaken aren't most of the newer sport vehicles coming with automatic throttling like this device? Also if im not mistaken, you can deactivate this device in a matter of a second to still be in full control of learning to do it manually if need be. However, my logic is why not have the assistance to have one less thing to worry about while learning to become a better driver..isn't everything in stages anyway?

Inside knowledge helps. Try googling or bing-ing on "auto-blip SoundGuyDave". For Dave's comments and particularly for his post on the "page 4" link that should come up in the search, but the whole thread is probably worth a read.


Just so you know and might read again, I've been rev-matching downshifts for almost 45 years as of this post's datestamp (and double-clutching those most of the time), so most of what's involved in getting a non-upsetting downshift accomplished no longer requires conscious thought. But since none of the cars I've ever had, save perhaps one, offered suitable pedal placement for H-T, I've never managed to pick up the H-T skill. And to tell the truth, actual road course time has only been a fairly recent thing (since 2012). While it really might benefit me for "winning HPDE" to start using this device - and I can see how and where it would - that's not enough reason to start undoing what I have gotten fairly good at in all of my cars to benefit what happens only some of the time in just one of them.


Norm

 

[GoBlues38]

Nothing like screaming down an exit ramp at 60 mph, trying to make the green light to turn left. Hard on the brakes, heel-toe to match the revs as you pull second and make the left hander.

The above is why I drive a manual.

.

 

[S550Smoke]

"I've had the auto-blip installed since last summer and it works amazing at the track. While I can heel-toe, I too am a novice so it has been a very helpful tool to have. I'm able to brake harder with more confidence and consistency and not unsettle the car with a botched downshift than I otherwise would be able. There are a few threads on the mustang6g forum about this (just search for it) - would highly recommend. "

awesome man, glad to get more first hand experience with it. I went ahead and ordered it.

"Inside knowledge helps. Try googling or bing-ing on "auto-blip SoundGuyDave". For Dave's comments and particularly for his post on the "page 4" link that should come up in the search, but the whole thread is probably worth a read.


Just so you know and might read again, I've been rev-matching downshifts for almost 45 years as of this post's datestamp (and double-clutching those most of the time), so most of what's involved in getting a non-upsetting downshift accomplished no longer requires conscious thought. But since none of the cars I've ever had, save perhaps one, offered suitable pedal placement for H-T, I've never managed to pick up the H-T skill. And to tell the truth, actual road course time has only been a fairly recent thing (since 2012). While it really might benefit me for "winning HPDE" to start using this device - and I can see how and where it would - that's not enough reason to start undoing what I have gotten fairly good at in all of my cars to benefit what happens only some of the time in just one of them."

I guess im technologically ignorant because I googled it a min ago and didn't see anything but ill look again. thanks again for the recommended read though, ill be sure and check it out. I have no doubt its second nature to you and I would like to master it as well, I just feel its something that doesn't need to necessarily slow my attempts at becoming a better driver on the track here at the beginning stages. Im a dumb newbie at this though so that very much could prove to be wrong...time will tell lol.

"Nothing like screaming down an exit ramp at 60 mph, trying to make the green light to turn left. Hard on the brakes, heel-toe to match the revs as you pull second and make the left hander.

The above is why I drive a manual."

a feeling of slight badass and accomplishment im sure lol

 

[Norm Peterson]

PM sent. I try to avoid publicly posting links to potentially competing forums.


Norm

 

[M3Convert]

Inside knowledge helps. Try googling or bing-ing on "auto-blip SoundGuyDave". For Dave's comments and particularly for his post on the "page 4" link that should come up in the search, but the whole thread is probably worth a read.


Just so you know and might read again, I've been rev-matching downshifts for almost 45 years as of this post's datestamp (and double-clutching those most of the time), so most of what's involved in getting a non-upsetting downshift accomplished no longer requires conscious thought. But since none of the cars I've ever had, save perhaps one, offered suitable pedal placement for H-T, I've never managed to pick up the H-T skill. And to tell the truth, actual road course time has only been a fairly recent thing (since 2012). While it really might benefit me for "winning HPDE" to start using this device - and I can see how and where it would - that's not enough reason to start undoing what I have gotten fairly good at in all of my cars to benefit what happens only some of the time in just one of them.


Norm

I am not sure it is about "winning HPDE", its about "enjoying HPDE".

To be honest, the pedal placement in the Mustang is not at all conducive to H-T like a Porsche or earlier model Bimmer - I wear the widest sole sneakers I can to achieve H-T, and even then it require quite a contortion to get safe contact on the brake and clip the throttle, hence the inconsistency. I'd like to head into T#1 of Lightning with a little more suave cache than I have done in the past!

Is adding a wide throttle pedal cover cheating too????

 

[Norm Peterson]

I am not sure it is about "winning HPDE", its about "enjoying HPDE".

Agreed, absolutely.

But there probably are people who get a little too focused on lap time numbers. "winning HPDE" was from Dave.

To be honest, the pedal placement in the Mustang is not at all conducive to H-T like a Porsche or earlier model Bimmer - I wear the widest sole sneakers I can to achieve H-T, and even then it require quite a contortion to get safe contact on the brake and clip the throttle, hence the inconsistency. I'd like to head into T#1 of Lightning with a little more suave cache than I have done in the past!

Is adding a wide throttle pedal cover cheating too????

Not in my book. It's not removing the need for a skill (simple rev matching at a minimum), just making it easier to accomplish and more like it is in cars that are perhaps more closely associated with road course driving than Mustangs get credit for.

I'd like to be able to start my braking a bit later for T1 and T7 at Lightning without running out of room to get my downshift done and finish my braking before I turn in. It's 100% natural for me to put my car in a more appropriate gear for the upcoming corner and its exit first (even on the street).


Norm

 

[S550Smoke]

first and foremost, norm thank you for the link. I think it was a fantastic read arguing both sides and I enjoyed it thoroughly! However, yes however lol...although I can fully (well as much as my little experience will allow me) see your points on relying on a machine to decrease lap times and not being a better driver because YOU improved as a driver but to be honest I think that a bit of a stretch in terms of at minimum the beginning stages of hpde. again, this is coming from a beginner and im not trying to sound like anything other then what I am, but to me it would have been nice focusing on other aspects of high performance driving without putting so much emphasis on something that can be mastered later on. To show you I fully understand where your coming from though, I will present an example. I don't know if you have any experience at road Atlanta but in case you do, one place I learned to really master the heal/toe was coming into turn 10a and it increased my speed and form through there wonderfully and it felt STELLER knowing that I did it well. I think I was able to hit that spot well because your coming off a long straight and not so rushed with foot movements. However, that was really the only time that focusing on the heal/toe helped me in my first learning hpde experience. My instructor was awesome and told me not to even worry about it until day 2 which is where we started focusing on the heal/toe so it didn't prevent me from learning anything, im just saying I was able to accomplish a lot more without focusing on it so much at my level. One guy in the discussion you sent me talked about learning the heal/toe more off the track and ive really been working on that..probably looking like a "dumb cool guy" around town to spectators but slowing down for stoplights and coming off off-ramps I have been practicing and getting better and I have to agree, I think that's a better time to learn. Correct me if im wrong, but that seems to be how you learned as well right? So anyway, I went ahead with the order and I will have it installed for my coming up trip to sebring but it always has the "off" switch when the times to focus on pure driving skills present themselves.

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